Ironing machine



April 9, 1935. w. L. CHEW 1,997,432

IRONING MACHINE Filed March 5, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 9, 1935. w. 1., CHEW 1,997,482

IRONING MACHINE Filed March 5, 19 54 4 sheets-shet 2 5: 3 aa/di awe/whom Wz'ZZmm L Chen;

W. L. CHEW IRONING MACHINE April 9, 1935.

Filed March 5, 1934 I 4 Sheets-Sheet.- 3

April 9, 1935. CHEW 1,997,482

IRONING MACHINE Filed March 5, 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 9, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IRONING MACHINE William L. Chew,Rockville Center, N. Y.

Application March 5, 1934, Serial No. 714,170

14 Claims. (Cl. 68-9) The invention relates to improvements in ironvention consists in the novel construction, coming machines, bination and arrangement of parts hereinafter The object of the present invention is to imm LV described, illustrated in the accomprove the construction of ironing machines and D ying drawing a pointed O n t e claims to provide a simple, practical and efllcient ironing hereto pp d it being understood that various 5 machine of strong, durable and comparatively inchanges n th f m, pr p rtion, and minor d expensive construction designed for ironing tails of eellstllletiell, Within the scope o e shirts, collars, underwear,- handkerchiefs, and claims. y be resorted to without d p i om similar articles and adapted for ironing an entire the spirit fi ing ny of the advanta es 1 shirt including the bosom, collar and cuffs, so the invention- 10 that the operation of ironing such garments may In the dIeWillgsI be performed on a single machine and obviate the Figure 1 is side elevation o ironing necessity of employing a plurality of machines chine constructed in accordance with this inand ironing the bosom and the body of a shirt on i one machine and collars and cufis on another i a al di al s t onal view 15 machine. of the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide 3 is a P V wan ironing machine of this character equipped iris a transverse sectional View On the line with an ironing board assembly having an ironof ing board shaped to lit the neck band and the 5 s a iz ntal se ti nal view n th in 20 adjacent portions of the shirt at opposite sides of of the neck band and provided with a neck band 6 is a P w Of the ironing b rd clamp adapted to hold the top or neck band porassembly. tion of a shirt while thelatter is being ironed and a is a n t di a s t nal v ew of the capable of being instantly operated to release the same on the line -1 of Fig. 6. v 25 neck bandtopermit the removal or adjustment of 3 i a similar View on the line 8-8 of the shirt on the ironing board. Fig. .6.

It is also an object of the invention to provide F g. 9 is a plan Vi w Of iage with the an ironing board assembly of this character which ironing board being emoved therefrom.

will be readily reversible for arranging the neck is tlellsvel'se sectional View on the 30 clamping means out of the way and bring the me of other end of the ironing board in position for ef- 11 is a reverse P n w the ilflllillg fective operation when it is desired to iron small board.

' articles, such as collars, separate from a shirt, 12 s a side View Of the sam Olle 0f the 85 handkerchiefs, socks and the like. v tal mar ina m b rs being raised.

Another object of the invention is to provide an 13 is e d a sectional View On the line ironing machine having power operated actuating |3|3 of i I means for moving the ironing board assembly for- Fi 14 is a detail sectional view on the line 'wardly and rearwardly with respect to an,ironl4 of Fig. 3.

40 ing roll, thereby reducing to a minimum the man- In the accompanying drawings in which is illus- 40 ual labor incident to ironing shirts and other artrated the preferred embodiment of.the invention ticles. the ironing machine comprises in its construc- Another object of the invention is to provide an tion a main frame I constructed of metal or other ironing machine adapted to yieldably maintain a suitable material and composed of spaced sides 2 shirt or other article in engagement with the ironand transverse connecting members 3 which are ing roll while passing beneath the same and preferably of channel metal, as clearly illustrated capable of adjustment to vary the tension of the in Fig. 2 'of the drawings. The transverse conyieldable means so that shirts and other articles necting members are preferably arranged at the being ironed may be maintained in engagement upper, lower and intermediate portions of the with the ironing roll under the desired pressure main frame, as shown in Fig. 2, and the upper 50 and at the same time permitted to yield to pretransverse connecting members support longituvent breakage of buttons or injury to a garment dinal approximately horizontal frame members 4 due to any quality in the thickness of the mapreferably inverted T-shaped in cross section and terial passing under the ironing roll. extended beyond both ends of the frame, as clearly With these and other-objects in view, the inillustrated inFlgs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The longitudinally spaced parallel frame members 4 form supports for a plurality of transversely disposed rollers 5 journaled in suitable bearingsv of the frame members 4 and forming a roller way for supporting an ironing board assembly and enabling the same to be moved with a minimum amount of friction between a lower actuating roll 6 and an upper ironing roll I. The projecting end portions of the horizontal longitudinally disp sed frame members 4 are preferably supported by inclined braces 8 secured at their lower ends to the intermediate transverse frame members 3 and at their upper ends to the terminal portions of the longitudinal frame members 4.

The ironing board assembly comprises in its construction a lower carriage 9 and an upper yieldably supported ironing board Ill. The carriage 9 preferably consists of a wood bed or body portion and a metal plate suitably secured to the upper face of the wood body portion and provided at intervals at opposite sides with vertical guide posts |2 which slidably receive tubular slides |3 depending from the ironing board ID at opposite sides thereof and coinciding with the vertical guide posts and receiving in their upper portions above the guide posts coiled springs 4 adapted to urge the ironing board upwardly and maintain the same in engagement with the ironing roll 1 with the desired pressure when the carriage is moved beneath the same, whereby a shirt or other'garment or article arranged on the ironing board will be properly ironed by the ironing roll.

The carriage 9 is arranged upon the roller way of the frame I between the longitudinal bars 4 of the main frame and the said bars will maintain the carriage on the way and preventany accidental lateral movement of the carriage oif the roller way. In the accompanying drawings ample clearance is illustrated between the sides of the carriage and the longitudinal bars 4, but the space between the sides of the carriage and the bars may be varied as desired.

The carriage is provided at opposite sides with upwardly extending wings l5 arranged vertically and being preferably of a length slightly in excess of that of the ironing board, but the length of the vertical wings may, .of course, be varied. The wings l5 form guards and are adapted to prevent the'garment being ironed from coming in contact with the frame of the machine as any portion of the garment which extends beyond the side edges of the ironing board may be tucked in or folded down at the side edges of the ironing board between the same and the said wings for protecting the garment.

The upward movement of the ironing board under the influence of the coiled spring I4 is limited by adjusting means comprising a slidable substantially oblong frame l6 preferably constructed of light'metal and slidably arranged in guides I1 and provided at opposite sides at intervals with spaced ears l8 between which are pivoted the lower ends of a plurality of links l9 which are connected at their upper ends to the ironing board at the lower face thereof. The links l9 are connected to the said ears I8 by suitable pivots and to ears 2| of the ironing board by suitable pivots 22. The links extend upwardly and rearwardly towards the left hand end of the machine in Figs. '7 and 8, and the slidable frame I6 is adapted to be adjusted longitudinally by a longitudinal screw 23 mounted in a suitable nut 24 and provided at its outer end with a hand wheel 25 or other suitable op erating device and having its inner or forward end arranged within a tubular shank 26 of the slidable frame.

The tubular shank 2B is preferably formed integral with. the rear end of the slidable frame l6 and its bore or opening is smooth and receives a coiled cushioning spring 21 interposed between the front wall of the opening of the tubular shank and a suitable follower 28 which forms an abutment for the front end of the screw and a bearing for the rear end of the coiled spring 21. When the screw is moved forwardly through the nut 24 the ironing board is yieldably drawn downwardly and is yieldably limited in its upward movement by the links l9 and the coiled spring 21. The links l9 are provided at their upper ends with slots 29 which with the spring 2! permits limited yieldable movement of the ironing board. The ears 2| for the pivots 22 of the upper ends of the links are preferably formed integral with the metal plate 2| secured to the lower face of the ironing board and preferably of skeleton formation, as clearly illustrated in Fig. ll of the drawings. The depending tubular slides l3 are preferably formed integral with the metal plate 2|, as shown. The ironing board when moved under the ironing roll is maintained in engagement with the same with the desired pressure exerted on the garment by the coiled springs 4 and the upward movement of the ironing board under the influence of the said springs l4 may be varied by adjusting the slidable frame and the links 9 and the tension on the springs l4 will be increased by drawing the ironing board downwardly.

By means of the springs I4 and the adjustment of the ironing board any garments may be ironed without injury to buttons or portions of the garment and the ironingboard may be adjusted vertically to suit the character of the garments or other articles being ironed. The guides H which are disposed transversely of the carriage 9 are secured at their terminals and are provided with spaced guideways/30 which are arranged in longitudinal alignment, as clear- 1y illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings. Any suitable guideways may, of course, be employed for guiding the slidable frame on the carriage of the ironing board assembly. The nut 24 which may be of any suitable construction is preferably provided at opposite sides with ears 3| which are preferably secured to the said metal plate The ironing board, which is preferably constructed of rubber covered iron or other metal, is provided with a suitable fabric covering 32 which may be varied to suit the character of the work to be ironed and the covering is secured to the ironing board at the edges thereof by covering fastening devices 33 consisting of headed projections having their heads projecting slightly at the edges of the board and adapted to enable the fabric covering to be readily attached to the ironing board and to be removed, changed, or replaced to suit requirements.

The heads of the fastening devices 33 are covered and concealed by pivotal marginal members 34 and 35 which are approximately U-shaped, being composed of spaced sides and a connecting transverse portion. The pivoted ends of the sides are preferably provided with integral transversely disposed inwardly extending studs or pivots 36 and 31 which are adapted to be sprung into and out of engagement with suitable ,bearings 38 located at the lower face of the ironing board. The pivotal marginal members conform to the configuration of the ironing board and are provided at their inner faces adjacent their lower edges with a longitudinal groove or recess 39 which receives the heads of the fastening devices and the pivotal marginal members rest upon the heads of the fastening devices which support the said members 34 and 35 in proper position for covering and concealing the heads of the fastening devices and for preventing the fabric covering from becoming accidentally displaced during the operation of the machine. Also the pivoted members prevent the work from coming in contact with and being injured by the headed projections. The U-shaped pivoted members 34 and 35 have sufficient resiliency to enable the terminal pivots or studs 36 and 31 to be readily sprung into and out of the bearings 38. The transverse connecting portion of the member 34 is straight, as clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, and the transverse portion of the member 35 isprovided with a central substantially semi-circular portion 4|] which conforms to an approximately semi-circular neck band receiving recess 4| in the front end of the ironing board. The front end of the ironing board is tapered at opposite sides at 42, as shown and the spaces at the sides of the tapered front portion of the ironing board are adapted to receive portions of'a shirt for enabling the same to be arranged in a smooth condition upon the ironing board with the neck band of the shirt fitting the neck band receiving portion of the ironing board.

Also the particular configuration of the front end of the ironing board enables an attached collar of a shirt to be folded down below the upper face of the ironing board so that the bosom and adjacent portions of the front of the shirt may be ironed without permitting the attached collar during such ironing operation to extend between the ironing board and the ironing roll. The attached collar is designed to be ironed in a separate operation from the ironing of the bosom of the shirt and the adjacent portions of the same. The various portions of the shirt may be successively ironed on an ironing board and including the sleeves and the collar the complete ironing of a. shirt may be performed on the present ironing machine so that it will not be necessary for a plurality of ironing machines to be employed for this purpose.

The top or neck band portion of the shirt is clamped to the ironing board by a neck band clamp comprising an approximately U-shaped clamping member 43 composed of spaced sides and a connecting transverse portion 44 which is curved into approximately arcuate or semi-circular form to conform to the configuration of the neck band receiving portion of the ironing board. The side portions of the neck band clamping member 44 are composed of two telescoping sections 45 and 46 which interfit or telescope and which are adjustable to position the neck band clamping portion 44 properly with relation to the neck band receiving portion of the ironing board. This construction will enable the neck band clamping means to fit ironing boards having cut outs of different depths.

The sections 46 of the side portions of the clamping member are provided with inwardly extending transversely disposed pivot portions 4! mounted in suitable bearings 48 of bracket arms 49 and having angularly disposed terminals 56 which are engaged by a spring pressed plate or member The spring pressed plate or member is provided at opposite sides adjacentits outer end with ears 52 and is pivoted by a transverse pin 53 to bearing lugs 54 of the bracket arms 49. The bracket arms 49 are suitably mounted on the ironing board preferably by being formed integral with the metal plate 2| at the lower ends thereof. The arms 49 which are approximately L-shaped, as illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawings, support both the neck band clamping mem ber 45 and the plate 5| which is maintained in engagement with the angularly disposed portions 56 of the pivots 41 of the clamping member 43 by coiled springs 51 disposed on the transverse pin 56 and each having one end 58 hearing against the upper face of the hinged plate 5| and its other end 59 suitably anchored to the adjacent bracket arm 49. When the clamping member 43 is swung inwardly beyond a vertical transverse plane of the pivots 41 the spring actuated plate 5| will maintain the clamping member in engagement with the ironing board or the neck band portion of a garment arranged on the ironing board and when the clamping member is swung outwardly beyond the vertical plane of the transverse pivots 41 the spring pressed plate 5| will maintain the clamping member in such position as to facilitate the placing of a garment on or removing the same from the ironing board.

The bed rests upon the lower roll 6 and the ironing board is maintained with a yieldable pressure against the ironing roll i, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings, and when the rolls are rotated in one direction the carriage with the ironing board will be moved along the roller bed in one direction and when the direction of the rotation of the rolls 6 and i is reversed the carriage and ironing board will be moved in the opposite direction. The lower roll which is preferably provided with a roughened surface, as shown, frictionally engages the wooden body portion of the carriage and is designed to be of hollow construction and provided with an integral shaft 60 journaled in roller bearings 6| of the sides of the main frame, but the lower roll may be. of any other desired construction. The upper ironing roll 1 is designed to be constructed of metal and hollow and provided with tubular trunnions or shaft portions 62 journaled in roller bearings 63 of the sides of the frame. The ironing roll is preferably heated by a gas heater, consisting of a burner 64 arranged within the ironing roll and extending through one of the hollow trunnions or shaft portions of the ironing roll and connected at its outer end with a gas pipe 65 which may be supplied with gas from any suitthe drawings and as any suitable housing may be employed further illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The large intermediate gear wheel 61 is keyed or otherwise fixed to the shaft of the lower roll and the upper and lower gear wheels 68 and 69 are suitably fixed respectively to the shaft of the ironing roll and to the power-actuated shaft 66.

When the shaft 66 is rotated the rolls 6 and 1 will be reversely rotated so that their opposed peripheral portions will engage the carriage and the ironing board of the ironing board assembly for feeding or moving the ironing board and the carriage in the same direction. I

The power actuated shaft 66 is provided at opposite sides at its center with bevel gears 70 which mesh with a bevel gear ll arranged in a plane at right angles to the bevel gears 10 and vmounted on a short longitudinal shaft 12 which is connected with an electric motor 13 by a belt 14 and pulleys and 16. The pulley 15 is'of less diameter than the pulley 16 to reduce the speed of the motor shaft to the desired extent, but instead of employing a belt and pulley, any other suitable form of power transmitting means may, of course, be provided. The bevel gears 10 which are of greater diameter than the bevel gears 'H for effecting a further reduction in the speed of the motor, are loose on the transverse shaft 66 and are provided with clutch sections on faces I1 which are adapted to be engaged by a slidable clutch member 18 splined or otherwise interlocked with the shaft 66 and adapted to connect either of the bevel gears 10 with the shaft 66 whereby the shaft may be driven in either direction by the motor without changing the direction of the rotation of the motor shaft.

The slidable clutch member '18 is grooved to receive one end of a shifting lever I9 fulcrumed in termediate of its ends by a suitable pivot and connected at its other end by a link 8| with an actuating arm 82 of a. longitudinal rock shaft 83. The rock shaft 83 is journaled in suitable bearings of the main frame and it is provided adjacent to one end with said arm 82 and at the other end with a treadle or foot lever 84 adapted to be depressed by the foot of the operator for partially rotating the rock shaft for moving the slidable clutch member in one direction for clutching one of the gear wheels 10 to the power actuated shaft 66. The slidable clutch member is normally maintained in engagement with the other gear wheel 18 by a coiled spring 85 connected to one arm of the shifting lever 19 and to the main frame, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The slidable clutch member 18 is also adapted to be maintained in an intermediate position out of engagement with both of the clutch sections of the gear wheel 10 for stopping the ironing board assembly and such stopping and starting of the ironing board assembly may be controlled by the foot of the operator. Also the machine may be stopped and started by opening and closing the motor circuit. The link 8| is preferably connected at its ends with the shifting lever and with the arm 82 of the rock shaft 83 by a universal joint and in order to facilitate the handling of the carriage the latter is preferably provided adjacent one end with a suitable handle 86.

The forward movement of the ironing board assembly is limited by pivoted stops 8'! of approximately U-shape each pivoted at one end at 88 to one of the transverse connecting members of the main frame and adapted to be swung upwardly and outwardly into engagement with the upwardly extending webs of the T-shaped longitudinal bars 4 in position to be engaged by projecting terminals 89 of a transverse rod or member 90 secured to the side wings of the metal plate of the carriage and projecting laterally beyond the same to the upper edges of the said webs of the T-shaped longitudinal bars so that the stops 8'! when swung into engagement with the longitudinal bars will lie in the path of the projecting terminals 89 of the rod or member 90. This will prevent the carriage from accidentally leaving the roller bed of the main frame at the right hand end of the same. The stops 8'! are adapted to be swung downwardly out of the path of the terminal portions 89 of the rod 90 should it be desired to remove the ironing board assembly at that end of the machine. The ironing board assembly is adapted to be reversed to arrange the square end of the ironing board at the right hand end of the machine when it is desired to iron small articles and to have the neck band receiving portion arranged out of the way to facilitate a rapid ironing of such small articles.

What is claimed is:

1. An ironing machine including a main frame provided with a horizontal roller way having terminal extensions projecting beyond the main frame, an upper ironing roll located above the roller way, a lower actuating roll located below the roller way, an ironing board assembly comprising a carriage arranged upon the roller way and upon the lower roll and adapted to be actuated by the lower roll, and an ironing board mounted on the carriage and arranged to passbeneath and engage the ironing roll, means for rotating the ironing roll and the lower roll for moving the carriage along the way and for ironing an article on the ironing board, and a pivoted stop movable into and out of the path of the ironing board assembly.

2. An ironing machine including a main frame provided with a horizontal roller way having terminal extensions projecting belond the main frame, an upper ironing roll located above the roller way, a lower actuating roll located below the roller way, an ironing board assembly comprising a carriage arranged upon the roller way and upon the lower roll and adapted to be actuated by the lower roll, and an ironing board mounted on the carriage and arranged to pass beneath and engage the ironing roll, means for rotating the ironing roll and the lower roll for moving the carriage along the way and for ironing an article on the ironing board, laterally projecting means extending from the sides of the carriage; and stops pivotally mounted on the main frame and movable into and out of the path of the laterally projecting means for limiting the movement of the carriage in one direction.

3. In an ironing machine of the character described, an ironing board adapted to receive a fabric covering and marginal members in pivotal connection with the board and extending around the marginal edges of the ironing board said marginal members being arranged to swing upwardly and downwardly and provided at their lower edges with recesses arranged to receive and conceal the fastening means for securing the fabric covering to the ironing board and supported by the said fastening devices.

4. In an ironing machine including a main frame, and an ironing board carriage, an ironing board mounted on the carriage for upward and downward movement, yieldable means arranged vertically for urging the ironing board upwardly,

and adjustable means separate from the said yieldable' means and connected with the ironing board and with the carriage for limiting the upward movement of the ironing board consisting of a member having connection at a plurality of ward movement, resilient means arranged vertically for urging the ironing board upwardly, and adjustable means separate from the said yieldable means and connected with the ironing board and with the carriage for controlling and limiting the upward movement of the ironing board and including a resilient cushioning device for cushioning the adjusting means to prevent excessive shock when downward pressure on the board is suddenly released.

6. An ironing machine including a main frame, and an ironing board carriage, an ironing board slidably connected with the carriage for upward and downward movement, resilient means for urging the ironing board upwardly for causing the same to engage the ironing roll with the desired pressure when carried beneath the same, and means separate from the slidable connection between the ironing board and the carriage and from the said resilient means for limiting the upward movement of the ironing board including a member slidable on the carriage, a plurality. of links pivotally connected with the slidable member and the ironing board, and adjusting means for effecting a slidingmovement of the said member in one direction and a corresponding downward movement of the ironing board against the action of the said resilient means.

'7. An ironing machine including a main frame, and an ironing board carrier, an ironing board mounted on the carriage for upward and downward movement, vertically disposed guiding means for the ironing board, resilient means for urging the ironing board upwardly, and means separate from the said guiding means for limiting the upward movement of the ironing board comprising a slidable member guided on the carriage, a plurality of links pivotally connected with the slidable member and with the ironing board, and adjusting means for moving the slidable member in one direction against the action of the said resilient means, and a resilient cushioning device interposed between the said .adjustable means and the slidable member.

8. An ironing machine including a main frame, and an ironing board carriage, an ironing board mounted on the carriage for upward and downward movement, vertically disposed guiding means for the ironing board, resilient means for urging the ironing board upwardly, and means separate from the said guiding means for limiting the upward movement of the ironing board comprising a slidable member guided. on the carriage, a plurality of links pivotally connected with the slidable member and with the ironing board, an adjusting screw for moving the slidable member in one direction against the action of the said resilient means and having a slidable connection with the slidable member, and a resilient cushioning device interposed between the adjusting screw and the slidable member.

- 9. An ironing machine including a main frame, and an ironing board carriage, an ironing board, guiding means for mounting the ironing board on the carriage for upward and downward movement, resilient means for urging the ironing board upwardly, and means separate from the said guiding means for limiting the upward movement of the ironing board including a slidable frame, guides mounted on the carriage for guiding the slidable frame, a plurality of links located at opposite sides of the slidable frame and pivotally connected with the slidable frame and with the ironing board and having slots atone of the pivotal connections to permit a limited independent movement of the ironing board, and adjustable means for moving the slidable frame against the action of the said resilient means.

10. An ironing machine including a main frame, and an ironing board carriage, an ironing board, guiding means for mounting the ironing board on the carriage for upward and downward movement, resilient means for urging the ironing board upwardly, and means separate from the guiding means for limiting the upward movement of the ironing board including a slidable frame, guides mounted on the carriage for guiding the slidable frame, a plurality of links located at opposite sides of the slidable frame and pivotally connected with the slidable frame and with the ironing board and having slots at one of the pivotal connections to permit a' limited independent movement of the ironing board, a tubular shank extending from one end of the slidable frame, a fixed nut mounted on the carriage, an adjusting screw having a threaded engagement with the fixed nut and extending into the tubular shank of the slidable frame, and spring means housed within the tubular shank and interposed between the same and the adjusting screw, said screw being arranged to move the slidable frame against the action of the said resilient means.

11. An ironing machine including a main frame, an upper ironing roll, a lower actuating roll, an ironing board assembly comprising a carriage, an ironing board mounted on the carriage, work holding means including a pivoted clamping member arranged to clamp the neck portion of a garment on the ironing board and to swing to an inactive position spaced from the ironing board, and a spring pressed member engaging the said clamping member and operating to hold the clamping member in either of its positions.

12. An ironing machine including a main frame, an upper ironing roll, a lower actuating roll, an ironing board assembly comprising a carriage movable between the rolls, an ironing board mounted on the carriage, work engaging means for holding an article on the ironing board comprising a pivotal clamping member arranged to engage the neck portion of a garment and having spaced sides provided with lever arms, and a spring pressed member engaging the lever arms for controlling the clamping member, said pivspring pressed member being adapted to hold the lever in either of its positions.

13. An ironing machine including a main frame, an upper ironing roll, a. lower actuating roll, an ironing board assembly including a carriage, an ironing board provided at one endwith a neck band receiving recess, a work holding means including a pivoted clamping member arranged to engage the neck portion of a garment at the said recess and composed of spaced sides having lever arms and a transverse portion connecting the spaced sides and conforming to the neck band receiving portion of the ironing board to engage a shirt or other garment at the neck portion, a plate having a pivot and engaging the lever arms of the clamping member, and spring means including coils mounted on the pivot of the plate and having a portion engaging the plate for yieldably holding the same in contact with' the lever arms, and holding said clamping member at either side of its pivotal point.

14. An ironing machine including a main frame, an upper ironing roll, a lower actuating roll, an ironing board assembly. including a carriage movable between the rolls, an ironing board mounted on the carriage and provided with a neck band receiving recess and having bracket arms extending from it at opposite sides of the recess, an approximately U-shaped clamping member arranged to engage the neck portion of a garment at the said recess and composed of spaced sides pivotally mounted on the bracket arms and protransverse portion connecting the sides of the clamping member and conforming to the configuration of the neck band receiving recess of the ironing board, a transverse pivot mounted on the bracket arms of the ironing board, a plate carried by the said pivot and engaging the said lever arms, and spring means including coils disposed on the said transverse pivot and connectedwith the bracket arms and having portions engaging the plate for maintaining the same yieldably in engagement with the lever arms and holding the latter in active and inactive positions.

WILLIAM L. CHEW. 

